COMSAT’S UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD

Electrical Measurements and Instrumentation

Assignment # 03

Submitted by:

Muhammad Abdullah FA17-BEE-188

Submitted to:

Sir Saqib Irfan

Semester & Section:

Semester-8
EEE-4

Submission Date:
May 3rd , 2021

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Q2. Attempt the following questions. [C3-CLO3] (10 marks)
A. Compute the maximum and minimum resistance that can be measured by a Wheatstone
bridge shown in figure 1 which can have P = 1 kΩ, 5 kΩ, or 10 kΩ, Q = 1 kΩ, 5 kΩ, or 10
kΩ, and S adjustable from 1 kΩ to 6 kΩ.

B. A Wheatstone bridge has P = 8 kΩ, Q = 10 kΩ, and S = 4 kΩ when R = 3 kΩ. The supply
is EB = 12 V, and the galvanometer has a current sensitivity of 1 μA/mm and a resistance
rg = 2.5 kΩ. Compute the minimum change in R which is detectable by the bridge.

C. Repeat part B for supply voltages of 5 V and 48 V. Illustrate the effect of supply voltage
on sensitivity of Wheatstone bridge based on your results.

Figure 1: Wheatstone bridge circuit

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Answer:

PART(A)
Given Data:

P = 1 kΩ, 5 kΩ, or 10 kΩ
Q = 1 kΩ, 5 kΩ, or 10 kΩ
S adjustable from 1 kΩ to 6 kΩ
Required:
maximum and minimum resistance that can be measured by a Wheatstone bridge

Solution:

𝑃 𝑄
=
𝑅 𝑆
𝑆
𝑅 = ×𝑃
𝑄
For Rmax,
P = 10 kΩ
Q = 1 kΩ
S = 6 kΩ
6kΩ
𝑅𝑚𝑎𝑥 = × 10kΩ
1kΩ

𝑅𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 60kΩ
For Rmin,
P = 1 kΩ
Q = 10 kΩ
S = 1 kΩ

1kΩ
𝑅𝑚𝑖𝑛 = × 1kΩ
10kΩ

𝑅𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 100Ω

PART(B)
Given Data:

P = 8 kΩ
Q = 10 kΩ
S = 4 kΩ
when R = 3 kΩ. The supply is EB = 12 V,
&
the galvanometer has a current sensitivity of 1 μA/mm
&
a resistance rg = 2.5 kΩ

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Required:

minimum change in R which is detectable by the bridge

Solution:

𝑟 = 𝑃||𝑅 + 𝑄||𝑆
𝑟 = 8 kΩ||3 kΩ + 10 kΩ||4 kΩ
𝑟 = 5.037 kΩ

𝑉𝑟 − 𝑉𝑠 = 𝐼𝑔(𝑟 + 𝑟𝑔)
= 1μA(5.037 kΩ + 2.5kΩ)
𝑉𝑟 − 𝑉𝑠 = 7.53 𝑚𝑉

When the bridge is balanced,

𝐸𝑔 × 𝑅
𝑉𝑟 =
𝑃+𝑅
12𝑉 × 3kΩ
=
8kΩ + 3kΩ
= 3.27 𝑉

When the open circuit galvanometer voltage is 7.53 mV.

𝑉𝑟 + ∆𝑉𝑟 = 3.27𝑉 + 7.53 𝑚𝑉
= 3.277𝑉

𝑉𝑝 = 𝐸 − (𝑉𝑟 + ∆𝑉𝑟
= 12𝑉 − 3.277𝑉
= 8.722 𝑉

𝑉𝑝
𝐼𝑝 = 𝐼𝑟 =
𝑃
8.722 𝑉
=
8 kΩ
= 1.090 𝑚𝐴

Vr + ∆Vr
R + ∆R =
Ir
3.277 V
=
1.090 mA
= 3.0055 kΩ

∆R = (R + ∆R) − R
= 3.0055 kΩ − 3kΩ
= 5.5 Ω

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 PART(C)
Given Data in Part B:
When the open circuit galvanometer voltage is 7.53 mV.

For Eb = 5 V,
𝐸𝑏 × 𝑅
𝑉𝑟 =
𝑃+𝑅
5𝑉 × 3 kΩ
𝑉𝑟 =
8kΩ + 3 kΩ
𝑉𝑟 = 1.36 𝑉
𝑉𝑟 + ∆𝑉𝑟 = 1.36 𝑉 + 7.539 𝑚𝑉
= 1.370 𝑉
𝑉𝑝 = 𝐸𝑏 − (𝑉𝑟 + ∆𝑉𝑟)
𝑉𝑝 = 5 𝑉 − 1.370 𝑉
𝑉𝑝 = 3.63 𝑉
𝑉𝑝
𝑉𝑝 = 𝐼𝑟 =
𝑃
𝐼𝑝 = 𝐼𝑟 = 0.453 𝑚𝐴
𝑉𝑟 + ∆𝑉𝑟
𝑅 + ∆𝑅 =
𝐼𝑟
1.370𝑉
=
0.453𝑚𝐴
= 3.02 kΩ
∆𝑅 = 3.02 kΩ − 3 kΩ
= 24 Ω

For Eb = 48 V,

𝐸𝑏 × 𝑅
𝑉𝑟 =
𝑃+𝑅
48𝑉 × 3 kΩ
𝑉𝑟 =
8kΩ + 3 kΩ
𝑉𝑟 = 13.08 𝑉
𝑉𝑟 + ∆𝑉𝑟 = 13.08 𝑉 + 7.539 𝑚𝑉
= 13.097 𝑉
𝑉𝑝 = 𝐸𝑏 − (𝑉𝑟 + ∆𝑉𝑟)
𝑉𝑝 = 48 𝑉 − 13.097 𝑉
𝑉𝑝 = 34.903 𝑉
𝑉𝑝 34.903
𝑉𝑝 = 𝐼𝑟 = = = 4.3 𝑚𝐴
𝑃 8kΩ
𝑉𝑟 + ∆𝑉𝑟
𝑅 + ∆𝑅 =
𝐼𝑟
13.09 𝑉
=
4.3 𝑚𝐴
= 3.02 kΩ
∆𝑅 = 3.044 kΩ − 3 kΩ
= 44Ω Ω
Current Sensitivity is directly proportional to the voltage sensitivity and rg. As ∆𝑅 increases sensitivity
increases and as ∆𝑅 decreases sensitivity decreases. The bridge sensitivity is defined as the amount of
deflection of the galvanometer per unit fractional change in the unknown resistance.

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